Monitor Audio Gold Series Loudspeaker Preview

As a Monitor Audio Enthusiast, when we heard that they were coming out with a revamp to their “Gold” series speakers we were ecstatic.  Using its GX Gold speakers as a model, Monitor Audio refined its high-end speaker line with this new series.  Equipped with optimized drivers and empowered by the production quality of their Platinum flagship range, their Gold series speakers turn another page in the story of Monitor Audio's audiophile speaker family.

Eight new dedicated stereo, center channel, surround and subwoofer models have been released. Changes of this line include enhancements of the C-CAM Rigid Surface Technology bass cone, tighter production tolerances for their advanced C-CAM ribbon tweeters which provides extension to 60kHz, updated C-CAM RST drivers, new magnetically fixed "floating” cloth grilles which provide a smarter more functional grille design, and curved cabinet profile for increased rigidity.  These upgrades to the new Gold range are designed to offer a greater transparency leaving you simply to choose the system that's right for your room.

Optimized Tweeters

The Gold series ribbon is derived from their Platinum C-CAM ribbon transducer. Mechanically it’s identical to the GX ribbon but by improving production tolerances even further the new model supposedly  offers a consistently more open and transparent sound.  In part, the sense of greater detail and enhanced imaging may be attributed to the closer matching of tweeter pairs in each stereo system. The ribbon’s efficient wideband design is supposed to be able to reproduce tonal character of frequencies beyond 60kHz, as well as the inherent nature of the mid-band vocal region to which the ear is most sensitive.  A 60kHz extension seems a bit implausible and perhaps only achievable within the listening window of the size of a gnat, but what it does mean is flat linear response to 20Khz - the limits of human  hearing)

RST Bass Drivers

Further tuned by FEA tools, the Gold series bass units utilize new version of the dimpled RST cone surface introduced on the Gold GR and GS ranges. It takes the form of a continuous radiating dish devoid of the central voice coil aperture. Instead, a longer voice coil and larger motor sit behind the cone in a more efficient drive assembly, which offers greater drive force, longer excursions and lower distortion, designed to produce cleaner, more extended and accurate bass definition

Bolt Through Driver Fixings

Single bolt-through driver fixings have the dual effect of improving cabinet rigidity while further reducing vibration at the driver/cabinet interface. By this method, drivers are mounted on a single tensioned through-bolt, which is secured to the back of the cabinet. The bolt not only acts as a rigid cabinet brace to reduce box coloration, it removes the need for conventional driver fixing as well, effectively decoupling the driver and front baffle to eliminate a further source of unwanted resonance.

The Enclosure

Each enclosure is rigid and curved in nature. The cabinet is further aided by radial bracing and bolt-through driver fixings, which eliminate unwanted vibrations and internal standing waves. The new Gold’s HiVe II reflex port is shaped to have the same effect on airflow as a gun barrel on a bullet. Rifled grooves inside the port help to accelerate the flow and reduce turbulence, so air moves in and out of the port more efficiently for a faster more dynamic bass response. For added stability the die-cast alloy base plinths of the floor-standing models and the dedicated ‘Gold’ speaker stand provide a solid foundation for better acoustics, enhanced by hand-milled spikes. Non-slip rubber pads are supplied to protect wood floors.

Grille Design

Gold’s magnetically-fixed ‘floating’ cloth grille replaces the full-length metal grille of its Gold GX predecessor. On floor standing models, more of the cabinet’s luxurious grain-matched depth of finish is exposed and the design offers a classier, more discreet look, enhanced by a brushed aluminum badge.

 

Crossovers

Comprising high quality polypropylene film capacitors, air core and laminated steel core inductors, individual driver crossovers are mounted on a dedicated panel accessible from the underside of each speaker. The adjacent speaker terminals are gold plated to maintain signal integrity and contact reliability. All Gold speakers are wired internally with Pureflow Silver cable.

Color Choices

Speakers come in a choice of four different colors including: High Gloss White Lacquer, Piano Black Lacquer, Dark Walnut Real Wood Veneer, Piano Ebony- Although not ALL speakers of the line come in all the colors.

         

The Gold Series Lineup

Gold 50

The sculpted low-diffraction cabinet of the Gold 50 houses a single 5.5” RST bass driver and C-CAM ribbon. The bass driver is designed to exhibit the low frequency extension and power handling of a much larger transducer. The new C-CAM ribbon is claimed to achieve sounds to 60 kHz. Optional, dedicated floor stands are available, which can be filled to provide the ultimate foundation for the best possible sound quality.

We’re hoping this little unit will defy its modest dimensions – Tests will see.

Gold 50 (Left) and Gold 100 (Right)

Gold 100

The 100 is a larger two-way stand mount speaker featuring a 6.5” RST bass driver and C-CAM ribbon. Monitor Audio claims the performance of this smaller speaker will sound more like a typical 8” driver. They say their 6.5” design provides higher overall efficiency with dynamic headroom to deliver impressive bass extension and control, rendering complex material with tonal accuracy and perfect timing.  As with the Gold 50, optional, dedicated floor stands are available.

Gold 200

The first of new Gold’s floor-standers is also the most compact. This three-way design speaker comprises an improved pair matched ribbon, twin 5.5” bass drivers and a 4” midrange driver, which is housed in a dedicated enclosure. We’ll see if Monitor Audio’s claim of high overall efficiency, wide bandwidth and vanishingly low distortion is true in a full review of these floor standing speakers.

        

Gold 200 (Left) and Gold 300 (Right)

Gold 300

Standing at over a meter tall the 300 is a three-way floor-standing loudspeaker comprising twin 6.5” bass drivers, a single 4” mid-range driver and a high frequency ribbon transducer. With such an impressive complement of drivers, we’re hoping the 300 has the power delivery and scale to fill large rooms with awesome dynamics as well as the finest musical detail. Monitor Audio claims an audio range from below 30Hz to over 60kHz.

Gold C150

The ultra-compact C150 center speaker is small enough to fit into most AV racks and is designed to match the smaller Gold speakers in a more compact home theater configuration. Because it shares tonal characteristics with all models, its capabilities are also compatible with any ‘Gold’ system design. The C150’s sealed cabinet is home to twin 5.5” drivers and the ribbon in a two way MTM horizontal orientation. Monitor Audio claims an audio range of this compact center speaker from 50Hz to 60kHz.

    

Gold C150 (Left) and Gold C350 (Right)

Gold C350

The C350 center speaker is designed as a no-compromise center channel solution for serious home theater installations. Its three-way, four driver configuration mirrors that of the 300, although the bass drivers are tuned to work in the C350’s sealed cabinet. Unsurprisingly the C350 is the perfect match for its floorstanding counterpart. Monitor Audio claims this center speaker is designed to produce frequencies from 40Hz to beyond 60 kHz. Engineered for a neutral tonal balance and distortion free sound, the C350 should project clear dialogue and mid-range detail. A dedicated floor stand is available to ensure the most secure footing and ideal vertical orientation.

Gold FX

The FX speaker is designed to provide direct or ambient surround sound, which may be switched manually or automatically via a 12V signal, to accommodate the functionality of high-end home or professional cinema applications. The FX’s slim wall-hugging profile incorporates than six drivers. In monopole mode for discrete side or rear sound channels its front-firing 6 ½” RST bass/mid-driver and C-CAM ribbon transducer are designed to deliver ultra-wideband sound to match the tonal balance of any ‘Gold’ speaker combination. In dipole mode the FX uses two pairs of side firing 4” C-CAM bass/mid drivers and 25mm C-CAM gold-dome tweeters. The FX can be flush mounted on side or rear walls. Installation is made easy by the inclusion of a ‘sloppy fit’ wall bracket, which allows leveling and adjustment prior to fixing.

Gold FX (Left) and Gold W15 Subwoofer (Right)

Gold W15

In a rigid compact enclosure, Monitor Audio has installed an ultra-long throw 15” C-CAM bass driver, triple suspended for a full 38mm (1.5”) of linear excursion. Featuring a massive magnet structure and under the control of a 650W D2AUDIO DSP controlled amplifier this deep bass subwoofer will be a priority for our subwoofer reviewers.  We’re eager to fully test the bass and reference results for SPL, dynamic control and headroom on this unit. Monitor Audio claims the W15 will deliver taut gut-churning bass all the way down to a seismic 18Hz while also having an intelligent design, featuring an advanced automatic room correction system called LEO (Listening Environment Optimizer). LEO simply and automatically eliminates the detrimental bass boost of boundaries and corners through the use of a microphone and test tones. The Gold W15’s sealed enclosure and front-firing driver make it easy to install, and calibration from the front-mounted controls and dimmable LED display is simple, even from a distant position. It’s equipped with a 12V trigger and remote control with four user EQ pre-sets.

Initial Thoughts

Our reactions are very positive for the release of Monitor Audio’s lineup of their new and improved Gold series of speakers.  Immproved ribbon tweeters reproducing accurate sounds above and beyond human hearing limitations, new rifled grooves in their reflex port to reduce turbulence and provide a more dynamic bass response, and an automatic room correction system on their W15 subwoofer seems to fill out this series nicely.  Anyone serious about assembling a high performance home theater speaker system would  be remiss not to check out the new Gold Series from Monitor Audio.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.